Dispenser with spring-urged pusher plate



Sept. 28, 1965 A. FILIPOWICZ DISPENSER WITH SPRING-URGED PUSHER PLATE Filed Feb. 1, 1963 FIG.2

United States Patent 3,208,636 DISPENSER WITH SPRING-URGED PUSHER PLATE Edwin A. Filipowicz, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Fort Howard Paper Company, Green Bay, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Feb. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 255,614 3 Claims. (Cl. 221-57) This invention relate-s to an improved napkin dispenser of the type used in cafeterias and restaurants for dispensing folded, paper napkins.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a new napkin container-dispenser unit characterized by an improved structural assembly permitting the unit to be quickly and easily arranged for refilling when the napkin .supply is exhausted, and which improved assembly makes the present unit simpler, more compact, and less expensive in construction than conventional dispensers.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved dispenser structure wherein the same coiled spring utilized in conventional dispensers to constantly urge the so-called pusher plate against the rear of the napkin stack is constructed and arranged in the present invention to also actuate and coact with latch mechanism on the dispenser housing to hold said pusher plate in a rearward, non-interfering position when it is desired to fill said dispenser, thereby eliminating the need for a separate, special latch spring.

A further object is to provide a simplified spring and latch mechanism for holding the pusher plate in a retracted, non-interfering position while the container-dispenser is being filled with napkins, as described, which latching mechanism is designed to automatically release said plate in response to closing of the cover after the container has been filled.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide a napkin dispenser having improved carriage guide rail or track means for said pusher plate, which novel track assembly not only promotes the free, sliding movement of said pusher plate carriage with a minimum of friction, but which also serves to reinforce and strengthen the dispenser side walls and permits the use of relatively thin, inexpensive metal in the construction of the housing.

With the above and other objects in view, which other objects and advantages of the present assembly will become apparent hereinafter, the invention consists of the improved dispenser for paper napkins or the like, and all of its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views:

FIG. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the improved dispenser, showing the pusher plate carriage locked in its retracted position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view looking at the inner side of the rear wall of the dispenser showing an elevational view of the carriage latch and its guide;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the carriage-locking mechanism, showing the latch hook just prior to its engagement with the carriage;

FIG. 4 is .a transverse vertical sectional view through the dispenser taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view showing a part of the improved carriage track arrangement.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the illustrated container-dispenser is generally rectangular in form, being of any desired size, preferably of sheet metal, and includes a rear end wall 10, a pair of side walls 11, a forward or dispensing end wall 12, a bottom 13, [and a top cover 14 which is pivotally secured to the upper edge of said rear wall by means of a hinge 1 5. As mentioned, dispensers of the general type illustrated are utilized principally in cafeterias and restaurants, and are used to dispense folded, paper napkins.

Riveted or otherwise permanently secured on the relatively thin side walls 11 are longitudinal tracks 16, and slidably mounted on and between said tracks is a carriage 20 supporting a pusher plate 21, the particular design of said carriage track assembly being one of the novel features of the present invention, as will be hereinafter described in greater detail. Said pusher plate 21 is contoured as illustrated, and is designed to bear against the rear end of a stack of folded napkins (not shown) to constantly urge said napkins forwardly into proper position relative to the dispensing end 12 of the dispenser, the contoured form of said plate being intended to flex said napkins in a predetermined manner to facilitate their individual withdrawal by users.

As will be seen in FIG. 1, the pusher plate carriage 20 is provided with a front wall 22 to which the pusher plate is attached, with a rear, upright grasping portion 23. The

carriage is also provided with an open-bottomed coil compartment which includes a top wall 24 having a slotted latching opening 25 therethrough, sides 29, and a straight front wall 28. The sides 26 of the carriage support channel members 18 on their exterior, each adapted to slidably embrace one of the aforementioned tracks 16. The depending, rea-rwardly and downwardly opening compartment accommodates the coiled portion 32' of a band spring 32.

Said spring 32 is preferably formed of a band of clock spring steel, concave in crossasection when unwound, and the forward end thereof is riveted or otherwise secured to the forward end of the bottom wall of the dispenser, as at 33. The coiled portion 3 2' has an inherent tendency to Wind up any unwound portion and therefore constantly urges forwardly against the compartment wall 28. When the latch is not engaged it urges the carriage and pusher plate firmly against the rear of a napkin stack in the dispenser, to maintain the napkins in proper dispensing position. Said coiled spring is freely carried within the carriage compartment 255-29, and is free to unwind or wind upon itself as the carriage travels, to adapt itself to the depth of the napkin stack. One of the characteristics of said coiled spring is that a forward pressure is always exerted by it on the carriage, regardless-of the position of said carriage in the dispenser. The use of such a coiled spring for the purpose of constantly urging the napkin stack in a forward, feeding direction is not new in the art, being disclosed in the expired Broeren et al. Patent No. 2,277,815. What is novel in the present invention, however, is the use of said carriagedriv-ing spring 32 to also perform another important function, as will now be described.

As best appears in FIGS. 1 and 2, vertically-slidably mounted on the rear wall 10 of the housing is a latching bar 35, said bar being slidable within a bracket 36 welded or otherwise secured to said housing wall, the upper portion of said bar being offset forwardly to provide clearance between the bar and the aforementioned hinge bracket 15. The upper end of said bar is bent forwardly at an oblique angle to form a lug or tongue 38, and the lower end of said bar is bent forwardly and then upwardly at right angles to form a U-shaped latchhook 39 having an upwardly-projecting tongue.

Said latching bar 35 is of a length less than the height of the housing, and is so mounted that when it is in its lowered position the upper end thereof is slightly lower than the hinge 15, the lug 38 resting against the.

at top of the bracket 36 to limit the downward movement of said bar, and the lower end of the bar being spaced a distance below the plane of the shelf 24 of the pusher plate carriage. When said bar is moved to its raised or latching position, as will be described, the upper end projects above the hinge 15, as shown in full lines in FIG. 1, and the lower end is against the lower side of said top wall 24 of the coil compartment. When said latching bar is in the latter position, the carriage being in its rearwardmost position in the dispenser, the upturned latch-hook 39 on the lower end of said latching bar is designed to project upwardly into engagement in the aforementioned opening 25 in the top wall 24 of the coil compartment, to retain the carriage in said retracted position.

When it is desired to replenish the supply of napkins in the dispenser, the housing may be opened by swinging the cover 14 upwardly and rearwardly about its hinge connection, and the attendant may then grasp the upright portion 23 of the pusher plate carriage to manually pull said carriage rearwardly against the spring tension from the position adjacent the front wall 12 which it assumes when the dispenser is empty, or nearly empty, the forward end of the spring 32 unwinding from the coil. It is necessary to shift the carriage rearwardly, of course, to permit reloading. The coiled portion 32' of the spring is constantly, yieldingly urged upwardly against the lower side of the top wall 24 by action in herent in itself.

With reference now to FIG. 3 of the drawing, as the carriage approaches the rearward end of the housing, said coiled portion 32' of the spring 32 yieldingly engages against the lower, forward corner of the latch-hook 39, the latching bar normally being in its lowered position.

As said carriage moves further rearwardly, the verticallyslidable latching hook 39 is caused to ride up the upper portion of the periphery of said spring coil 32', and just as the carriage reaches a position adjacent the housing rear wall (the broken line position of FIG. 3), the presenoe of said spring coil thereunder yieldingly pushes said latch-hook 39 up into the opening 25 in the top wall of the coil compartment, as shown in full lines in FIG. 1. The nature of said coiled spring causes the same to yieldingly bear in an upwardly direction, as well as forwardly, with the result that the hook 39 is yieldingly maintained in said raised, latching position, with the result that the carriage is locked in a retracted position where installation of a new stack of napkins in the dispenser is facilitated.

After the dispenser has been filled, the attendant has rnerely to close the top cover 14 to release the pusher plate carriage, the coiled spring urging it against the rear of the napkin stack. As said cover swings downwardly it engages the lug 38 on the upper end of the raised latching bar, said bar having been previously held in its raised position by the spring 32, as described. Continued downward movement of said cover pushes the latching bar downwardly against the tension of said coiled spring, the distance between the shelf 24 and the bottom of the cabinet with respect to the diameter of the coil permitting said coil to yield in a downward direction. When the latching bar reaches the point where the hook 39 thereon is beneath and no longer engaged within the opening 25 of the top wall 24 of the coil compartment, said carriage is released, and the forward urging of the coiled spring causes said pusher plate carriage to move to its operative position relative to the napkins. Thus, there is provided a latch assembly whereby the pusher plate is automatically locked in place when an attendant moves the same to its rearward, non-interfering position, and whereby said plate is automatically released, so that it will perform its intended function, when the dispenser has been filled and the top cover is closed,

A further important feature of the present dispenser, and hereinabove mentioned, is the improved means for slidably supporting the carriage. As best appears in FIGS. 4- and 5, the carriage channel members 18, which are rigidly secured to the outer surfaces of the carriage side walls 26, as described, have their upper and lower edge portions bent outwardly at a right angle to form parallel longitudinal flanges 18. The tracks '16 on which said carriage elements 18 are designed to slidably ride are secured on the inner surface of the housing side walls, and include inwardly-projecting upper and lower longitudinal flanges 16' which are bent divergingly at an oblique angle to the plane of said wall. The carriage angles between the channel bases and flanges are adapted to receive edges of said track flanges, and due to the oblique angles of the latter elements, only the longitudinal edges thereof are in contact with said carriage channels. As is shown in FIG. 5, said longitudinal track edges are designed to fit within the corner angles formed by the carriage channel portions 18 and 18', and said track edges are rounded so that the contact areas between said relatively movable carriage channels and track members is limited to the minute spaced lines A and B on the radius of each of said rounded edge portions. The result is that there is a minimum of friction, and the movement of the carriage along said tracks is relatively free and easy.

\Heretofore, a relatively complicated inner housing frame has been utilized to form the carriage tracks in dispensers of the type herein concerned, and the simplified track members 16 characterizing the present structure are not only functionally superior, as described, but they are substantially less expensive to manufacture. Moreover, the securing of said elongated, flanged track members directly to the side walls of the housing greatly increases the strength and rigidity of said walls, and permits the use of thinner, less expensive metal in the construction of the cabinet than that required in conventional dispensers.

From the foregoing detailed description, it will be seen that the present invention provides a novel containerdispenser for paper napkins, or the like, which has several important advantages over the structures now in use. With the present assembly the coiled spring not only functions to drive the pusher plate carriage, as in conventional dispensers, but said spring is also designed to actuate and coact with latch mechanism to releasably hold said plate in a rearward, non-interfering position when it is desired to load the cabinet, said mechanism automatically releasing the carriage when the cabinet cover is closed. In addition, and as hereinabove described, the novel, simplified carriage track assembly characterizing the present invention provides improved carriage travel, and also reduces the construction cost of the dispenser.

Various modifications may be made in the recited details, and it is intended to comprehend herein not only the illustrated embodiment of the invention, but also any and all modifications or changes therein as may come within the spirit of said invention and within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a dispenser for a stack of articles, said dispenser being of the type having a cabinet with a movably-supported pusher plate therein and having a coiled band spring with an end secured to a forward portion of the bottom of the cabinet for operating said pusher plate, an open-bottomed coil compartment projecting from the lower rear portion of said pusher plate and having a top wall with a latching slot and having a front wall, said compartment being so located relative to the secured end of said spring that the coiled portion of the spring is inherently urged against its top and front walls, a latching member mounted for vertical sliding movement at the rear of the dispenser cabinet and having a forwardly and upwardly projecting latching projection located below the top of said coil compartment and in alignment with an upper portion of the coiled portion of the spring to be urged upwardly by the coiled portion of the spring into latching engagement with said latching slot of the top wall of said compartment when the pusher plate is at the limit of its rearward movement, said compartment having greater height than the coiled portion of the spring so that said coiled portion may be moved yieldingly downwardly a sufficient distance to release the latching projection in response to downward movement of the latching bar.

2. In a dispenser for a stack of articles, said dispenser having a cabinet with a rear wall and bottom wall and being of the type having a movably-supported pusher plate therein and having a coiled band spring with an end secured to a forward ortion of the bottom wall of the cabinet for operating said pusher plate, an openbottomed coil compartment projecting from the lower rear portion of said pusher plate and having a top wall with a latching slot and having a straight front wall, said compartment being so located relative to the secured end of the spring that the coiled portion of the spring is inherently urged against its top and front walls, a latching bar mounted for vertical sliding movement on the rear wall of the cabinet and having a forwardly and upwardly projecting latch located in alignment with an upper portion of the coiled portion of the spring to project into an upper portion of said spring compartment and be urged upwardly by the coiled portion of the spring into latching engagement with said latching slot of the top wall of said compartment when the pusher plate is at the limit of its rearward movement, said compartment having greater height than the coiled portion of the spring so that said coiled portion may be moved yieldingly downwardly a sufiicient distance to release the latch in respons to downward movement of the latching bar.

3. In a dispenser for a stack of articles, said dispenser being of the type having a cabinet with a bottom and a hinged cover and having a movably-supported pusher plate therein and having a coiled band spring with an end secured to a forward portion of the bottom of the cabinet for operating said pusher plate, an open-bottomed coil compartment projecting from the lower rear portion of said pusher plate having a top wall with a latching slot and having a front wall, said compartment being so located relative to the secured end of said spring that the coiled portion of the spring is inherently urged against its top and front walls, a latching bar mounted for vertical sliding movement on the rear wall of the cabinet and having at its lower end a forwardly and upwardly projecting latch located below the top of said coil compartment and in alignment with an upper portion of the coiled portion of the spring to be urged by the coiled portion of the spring into latching engagement with the latching slot of the top wall of the compartment when the pusher plate is at the limit of its rearward movement, said latching bar having an upper end free of the cover and of a length to project upwardly when the latch is in latching engagement and when the cover is open, and which projecting end is positioned to be pushed downwardly when the cabinet cover is closed, said compartment having greater height than the coiled portion of the spring so that said coiled portion may be moved yieldingly downwardly in response to said push on the latching bar by the cover a sufficient distance to release the latch.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 978,730 12/10 Gaut 3083.6 1,301,495 4/19 Otte 308-3.6 1,646,121 10/27 Thorp 221-63 1,994,160 3/35 Zeigler 221-279 X 2,037,366 4/36 Chapman 3083.6 2,153,113 4/39 Winter 221-56 X 2,273,644 2/42 Hope 221-59 X 2,277,703 3/42 Kennedy et al. 3083.6 2,277,815 3/42 Broeren et a1. 221-46 2,426,136 8/47 Agamaite 221-57 2,682,441 6/54 Krueger et a1. 221-52 3,095,996 7/63 Babin 221-52 RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

KENNETH N. LEIMER, Examiner. 

1. IN A DISPENSER FOR A STACK OF ARTICLES, SAID DISPENSER BEING OF THE TYPE HAVING A CABINET WITH A MOVABLY-SUP PORTED PUSHER PLATE THEREIN AND HAVING A COILED BAND SPRING WITH AN END SECURED TO A FORWARD PORTION OF THE BOTTOM OF THE CABINET FOR OPERATING SAID PUSHER PLATE, AN OPEN-BOTTOMED COIL COMPARTMENT PROJECTING FROM THE LOWER REAR PORTION OF SAID PUSHER PLATE AND HAVIN A TOP WALL WITH A LATCHING SLOT AND HAVING A FRONT WALL, SAID COMPARTMENT BEING SO LOCATED RELATIE TO THE SECUREC END OF SAID SPRING THAT THE COILED PORTION OF THE SPRING IS INHERENTLY URGED AGAINST ITS TOP AND FRONT WALLS, A LATCHING MEMBER MOUNTED FOR VERTICAL SLIDING MOVEMENT AT THE REAR OF THE DISPENSER CABINET AND HAVING A FORWARDLY AND UPWARDLY PROJECTING LATCHING PROJECTION LOCATED BELOW THE TOP OF SAID COIL COMPARTMENT AND INLIGNMEAN WITH 